Harry Warden Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 Time for some thoughts on this year. This is my view as a guest and HHN fan...not as a ScareActor. WARNING: RANTING AHEAD (sorry I tend to rant so this may be a little long…I’ll try to keep the ranting down) I took three nights off from scaring this year, two to enjoy this event, the other to go to the "other event". There were some great things and not so great things about this year. HUGE improvement from last year in many aspects. Houses and streets both improved. Icon...not improved, but not better. I think the last good icon was Julian the Usher and Bloody Mary, which they kinda dropped the ball on her a little but still she was better than the last two icons. OPD this year, way overly aggressive. I almost got arrested for something I didn't do. But that's a long story and I don’t feel like typing that out. And my one biggest issue this year is the chainsaw thing. Really...they don't give them to the veteran chainsaw guys....I think that was a lot of BS, a little shady, and just plain stupid. Just saying... So let’s talk Scarezones first. They still lack a bit compared to some previous years but still better than last year. Honestly only two scarezones from last year I still remember and that was 20 Years of Fear and, of course, Saws 'n Steam. This year I pretty much liked all of them. Again LIKE all of them. I love two. My biggest complaint is the dead areas. One I know can't be helped do to the construction of Despicable Me. The other...there is nothing from New York street all the way around past SnS and Bill & Ted til you get to Canyon. They've usually got something outside Disaster. Or the Zombies by MIB. It was just too dead over there. I'll start with my least favorite street and the Icon. You're Luck Has Run Out: I know I have friends in this street...and I'm sorry guys. I can only say a barely like this one and the only reason I do somewhat like it is because of my friends in it. They go out of their way to make it fun at least for me and whoever I'm with. So its not any of the scareactors' fault this zone lacks, its the fails of the HHN design team. The Icon is stupid. The masks for the ugly Lady Luck look fake and terrible. The audio they make...LOL...its sounds like they should be wearing fedoras with a cigar in their mouth..."Meh, see? Meh!" (wow that kinda loses the humor when there is no audio on this and its typed out. I hope anyone who reads this gets what the joke is.) The minion guys are cool. Chainsaws though? Really? Really? That’s who they give the chainsaws to? Really?! Another fail because those pop sticks were cool and unique, fit the characters but hardly ever worked, so they replace them with chainsaws...dumb... Overall: 2.5/5 7: Beginning of the night...SNOREFEST. The music is so slow I wanted to go to sleep on one of the masked chick's couch. Interesting concept though, cool to see something original taking on the seven deadly sins. Why did they choose such a boring version of Beautiful People at all? You go there later in the night...HOLY CRAP!! Complete 180. It is intense, the music is pumping and the scareactors are unstoppable. My buddy in that area does NOT stand still at night, he is crazy!! I tried getting pictures of him but couldn't. He actually at one point hid behind me and goes "Got any water?" lol He was nuts running around in there. Again I liked it. Eye candy...oh yea I loved when the girls were seductive in there...giggity. I didn’t necessarily get scared but I saw some great ones, especially from the guys without the chainsaws...yea again chainsaws not in the hands of the real chainsaw guys... Overall: 3/5 Nightmaze: Again...interesting concept. I wished it was longer, you'd have a better chance of getting lost in it. Damn construction for Despicable Me...that would have been good. I loved the ambient sounds. It’s hard to describe them but I loved that. The fact you could barely see the ninjas in there was great and dangerous at the same time. I was constantly worried I would accidently run into a scareactor and hurt them. I'm a big guy and most of them are petite. However I did get one good scare in there, and I actually happened to be a close friend who saw me and of course I couldn’t see her. Damn my Ravens jersey making me stick out... Overall: 3/5 Acid Assault: Tied for my favorite scarezone. The building effect is awesome, the falling...uh..whatever its supposed to be...acid rain I think. Don't get it up your nose or in your mouth...tastes bad and burns inside the nostrils...yea I know from personal experience. So much improvement with the addition of more scareactors and...yes...the chainsaws...the only ones I won't complain about cuz those guys were short. Thats kinda scary. I did get my best street scare here. When the saws first appeared out there I turned to my friends who were a little ways behind me, as we were going to The Thing, I was shouting "WHAT?! Chainsaws out here and not SnS?!" Meanwhile a guy was behind me just waiting for me to turn. The moment I did...well I was dead in the water. BAM! He got me. My friends all saw it coming too. Overall: 4.5/5 Canyon of Dark Souls: Good zone. I can't say too much about it cuz I never really have had a memorable experience in it. I like the thickness of the fog. I guess I've been startled a couple times there cuz I almost ran into one of the hooded guys and running into them is like a brick wall. Big dudes. I rarely see the stilts in there. My biggest complaint is its too light up from everything around it. Overall: 3/5 Grown Evil: The other favorite scarezone. I can't decide between this and Acid as to who is my favorite. I think I'm leaning to here though. My favorite scarezone I ever experienced was the first year I went in 2006, Harvest of Souls. Loved the ambiance and all around creepy feel. In zones I like getting the uneasy creepy feelings better than rapid scares which works in houses. This one gave me that feeling. I loved the bats in the trees, the sexy, yet scary bats on stilts. I'm a Baltimore bred boy, so always love seeing the Ravens in there. Although this is where I almost got arrested for arguing with a cop...like I said I was being blamed for something that wasn’t me...it’s still my favorite scarezone. Overall: 4.5/5 (not perfect cuz of the picture taking incident...I wasn’t using a flash!! It was other people!!) Now for houses. SO much better than last year. My thoughts on 2010 was there was no real GREAT house, a few good ones, and only one I absolutely disliked, and that’s being nice cuz to this day I still think Legendary Truth is the worst house I’ve ever been in…but I digress. This year I think there are a few GREAT houses, a few good houses, and only one I dislike. I’m gonna start with the sound stages, because I was very surprised this year the houses that weren’t in the sound stages were better. Winter’s Night: Well…at least they didn’t use the stupid glowing masks LT did last year. This is what LT should have been and I may have liked it. Loved the makeup. Very much an eye candy house with the set. Scares were there the first time I went. After that it went downhill. Only good scare I got was from the girl behind the brick wall got me looking through a hole in the wall, admiring the forced perspective graveyard, and then she’s right in my face. Overall: 3/5 Nightengales: I personally don’t see why so many people like about this house so much. Look, don’t get me wrong, I like it, but I think there are much better houses. I love the WWI concept. I really liked War of the Living Dead in 2009, so this kinda had that feel to it. I never really got scares in here. In fact, I can say probably only a couple. What really upset me in this one is: the 1st two times going through the soldier at the end was just standing there yawning…YAWNING. No reaction to the flying banshee at all. And the last time I went through it was the banshee at the beginning that was doing nothing. Not reaching for us, just staring at us looking bored. Overall: (being nice) 2.5/5 The Thing: Worthless…absolutely worthless. This one is in contention for being the worst house along with Legendary Truth. I got more scares from the animatronics than scareactors, except the hook guy, got me 2 out of 3 runs. Yea…sets great, but without decent scareactors its just a set and its worthless, and just one or two can’t hold it by themselves. I can’t stand the ones with elephantiasis. They all looked the same…and if you don’t get what I mean…it’s the ones that their faces look like they’re melting into their hand. Therefore look like they have trunks. I was told many times, its all about the cast…“Cast A is better” and I know for a fact all I’d seen was B. So I gave it one last shot…made sure it was A. Still sucked. The one jumping above, I stopped to watch for a couple minutes. He just stood there on the back side of the platform looking over the edge away from guests. This house just sucked. Overall: 2/5 (they don’t get a 0 or 1 cuz of the set and fake creatures) Nevermore: One of my top favorites. I wish I was more conversant with Edgar Allen Poe’s work. I’m sad to say I’m only am somewhat familiar with The Raven and Tell Tale Heart. Being the novice I am in that respect, I still really liked the house. I got scared a bunch of times in that one, a raven, some girl behind the hanging pages, and one of the dancers. That room kept me uneasy because I couldn’t really tell which ones were real. My only qualm was the last run I did was only ok. The asshole guests a few people in front of me ruined my time in there, so its not the house or scareactors fault there by any means. Overall: 4/5 The In-Between: Really cool house. I hear around a lot of people think this is a contender for House of the Year. Personally, I’ve got a problem with that statement. This house is inconsistent. My first run was only ok. I really did something stupid before going in, and that was getting really drunk. I kinda felt sick from the overwhelming effects. The second time…4 scareactors…4! That, in my view, is ridiculous. BUT…the last time was GREAT! Best run I’d been in that house. My heart was racing upon leaving, I saw every scareactor and I swear they all went after me…not on purpose by any means, but I managed to get every scare. The effects are unmatched by any house I’ve ever been in. My favorite room is the laser room cuz of all the hanging strings, makes you feel like the lasers are actually tangible. Again, as good as the effects are and my last run was...I can’t say that its the best because it’s inconsistent. Overall: 4/5 The Forsaken: One of my top two favorites. I love the set. The ship, the feel of the storm, the detail…all great. Scareactors are always on…green eyes and all. They get me looking at details. Though I never got the full scare of the one on the bungee, I saw him going back and fade away into the darkness was so cool! Love this house!! Overall: 5/5 HR Bloodengutz: Love this house!! So much fun! Only parts I don't like is the elves, they’re kinda lame, and the 4th of July ones are lame too. But other than that, Poke-my-hinus…I mean the Native American girl (who keeps slapping my ass), she’s great. I finally got to see the White House blow up. Bloodengutz himself is awesome, love ya Shoe!! I think a guy getting attacked by peeps is awesome. I have nothing but respect for the Feaster Bunny and the trees; I’ve heard the hell they’re going through. Damn Cupid!! The first one, who I know is there cuz he’s a good friend of mine, always…I mean ALWAYS gets me. Even if I think I get passed, he still finds me! I just think this is such a fun, humorous, and dark way to look at the holidays. Overall: 4.5/5 Saws n’ Steam: Ok, yea, I’m biased. Best house in the whole event! Honestly, not saying that because I’m a scareactor in it. I’m saying because it is. It has gore. It has scares…not just scares…in your face, aggressive scares. And its consistent. Since day 1, the scareactors are just as aggressive, if not more so! But let me rant for a sec…ITS NOT A STUPID VIDEO GAME!! I swear I want to punch every person who calls the diver “Big Daddy”…he looks NOTHING like him! The helmet is not round and there is no drill on his arm. I did however laugh when someone called him Predator. Rant over. House of the Year! Overall: 5/5 (but really 8/5) And then there’s Bill & Ted…well that’s just gotten progressively worse over the years. It has no real good story, nothing original. Yea, it had some funny moments. I laughed a lot when I was really drunk…One of the funniest lines is the one that changes periodically. “Is that the rapture, or did the Yankees choke last night?” Funniest version of it yet. Scream 4 sucking was good too! Another rant...and this is my opinion as a guest and a fan of Bill & Ted show…Universal lost its balls. The last good story was Lex Luther taking over the park to turn it into his own theme park and made the balls in the water his warheads…see? Those balls are nonexistent now…so they really did lose their balls. I liked it when they made fun of Disney, but since they got in trouble for it, they stopped. Its called a Parody Law! You are allowed to!! Jeez…End rant. Overall: 1.5/5 (Its worth seeing once) I avoided Death Drums…I just think that's a dumb idea...like Brian Brushwood. Overall a great event! Better than last year. MUCH better than last year. HHN XXI's Overall score: (this one is out of 10) 7/10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fallow Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 Enjoyed reading this - we disagree on some things, but that's to be expected. I really enjoyed meeting you outside NASCAR a few weekends ago - in case you don't remember, you were one of the double teamers who kept cornering my girlfriend and I. In regards to your Bioshock rant - you're a smidge inaccurate here, I have to say (no disrespect!) The "scuba suit" guy indeed does not look like the Big Daddy you described... however, there are multiple types of Big Daddy's, you only described the Bouncer style (far more advertised, the one on the cover, etc.) There is a more traditional looking scuba suit Big Daddy called the "Rosie." While the look is still not completely the same, I feel the inspiration is still there. That said, this isn't a Bioshock house - but again, there's some pretty big indisputable inspiration taken from it (and I take no issue with that. It's really cool!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armyofrobots Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 (edited) Don't be jealous of the new and improved chainsaw gang I jest, I jest. Edited October 26, 2011 by armyofrobots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Warden Posted October 26, 2011 Author Share Posted October 26, 2011 Enjoyed reading this - we disagree on some things, but that's to be expected. I really enjoyed meeting you outside NASCAR a few weekends ago - in case you don't remember, you were one of the double teamers who kept cornering my girlfriend and I. In regards to your Bioshock rant - you're a smidge inaccurate here, I have to say (no disrespect!) The "scuba suit" guy indeed does not look like the Big Daddy you described... however, there are multiple types of Big Daddy's, you only described the Bouncer style (far more advertised, the one on the cover, etc.) There is a more traditional looking scuba suit Big Daddy called the "Rosie." While the look is still not completely the same, I feel the inspiration is still there. That said, this isn't a Bioshock house - but again, there's some pretty big indisputable inspiration taken from it (and I take no issue with that. It's really cool!) I do remember you! It was my first specific shout out so of course I remember! As for the Bioshock I stand corrected. He does resemble that...even Subject Delta and Omega just without the weapons. See I've never played the games and because of this year's Horror Nights I never will! Lol But thank you for agreeing thats its not a Bioshock house...its Saws n' Steam...it may have some things that resemble the game and I see that now, but its still Saws n' Steam, and I take a lot of pride in that. So I still say if anyone comes though and calls it that again, just make sure its not around me, cuz I will get in your grill about it. Lol Don't be jealous of the new and improved chainsaw gang I jest, I jest. All I can say is in those masks giving those chainsaws was a questionable decision and you know as well as I do that has been proven! :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armyofrobots Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 Proven to be badass. Badassery is afoot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I agree with the Saws N' Steam review. House of the year hands down! 100341234325 out of 5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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